MUSSELp Sampling Sites in Zambia, 2008

From 11-30 September, DLG, KSC, a crew of American students and researchers, and Alex Chilala of the Zambia Department of Fisheries sampled freshwater mussels in the Congo and Zambezi basins of Zambia. Mollusks (live and shells only) were found at 9 sites, with most sampling effort spent in the northern part of the country.

The map below depicts our sampling sites in Zambia during the MUSSELp expedition of 2008. Sites are number 1-9, and the star indicates the position of Lusaka. Most of the sampling sites had been visited on previous collecting trips in either 2005 or 2007 but under higher water conditions. The sampling crew at most sites consisted of DLG, KSC, Curt Elderkin, Anthony Geneva, Jaclyn Kahn, and Jeremy Tiemann.

Details of our sampling sites are transcribed below from our notebooks. Geographical coordinates were determined using a hand-held GPS, and links from the geocodes map the sites on Google Maps.

MPZ-2008-01: Mbesuma Ranch

The water was much lower than May of last year. The locals collected live Etheria elliptica, Mutela sp., Coelatura luapulaensis, and Aspatharia pfeifferiana, with the help of the crew. Also dead Chambardia dautzenbergi.

The specimens were collected from the soft sediment along the western bank.

MPZ-2008-05: Victoria Falls

Bumbled across Coelatura while exploring the dry area above where Victoria Falls would be if it wasn't the dry season. The specimens were just sitting in the sand in a narrow creek-channel, probably washed into that position.

MPZ-2008-07: Lake Kariba

This is the spot that we were directed people to sample for ougili by the folks at the Bush Camp, but the people here said that mussels were hard to find. They were right. Just some junkshell Coelatura and Corbicula in the beach frass.

The guy that the Camp sent to find mussels the day before didn't find any.

The Siansowa Peninsula on Lake Kariba. Not a good musseling site when we were there, with a very soft, mud-gravel substrate.

MPZ-2008-09: Chilanga Fish Ponds

The same set of fisheries ponds that we visited last year, except that the water levels were much lower. Sampled from the 3rd and 4th ponds with the help of some of the pond workers. Got nine Chambardia wahlbergi.